Woman has her arm bitten off by an alligator while swimming in Wekiva River in Florida

The alligator that attacked her has since been killed

An alligator bears its teeth at a park in the Florida Everglades (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

A woman has had part of her arm bitten off by an alligator while swimming in a river in Florida.

The unidentified 37-year-old woman was attacked while she swam in the Wekiva River near Orlando, Florida.

Speaking to the press, witness Deborah Morris said: "Her right arm was bit up to here," gesturing above her elbow.

"It was gone, she had nothing. Completely gone."

According to Sky News, she was saved when kayakers fought off the alligator using their paddles, as it tried to pull her underwater.

As reported by the Orlando Sentinel, the woman was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Centre after the kayakers brought her to shore.

She apparently told responding paramedics that she had lost count of the number of times the alligator pulled her under the water.

The river has signs warning people about alligator attack, but attacks in that area of the river are said to be uncommon.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission said that the alligator that attacked her has since been caught and killed.